LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
They Saw No One But Jesus Alone
"And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias ... and, behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid. Then Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rise, and do not be afraid. And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus alone" (Matthew 17:3, 5-8).
On the mount of transfiguration, where for a period of time the glory of the Son of Man could be contemplated by three of his disciples, not only Peter, James and John were there, but Moses and Elijah also appeared to them.
What a great vision those disciples had that day! With their Master, they saw Moses, representing the law of God, and Elijah, representing the prophets. Once the Lord said: "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt. 22:40); and now the representative of the law and the representative of the prophets were standing beside Him, talking with Him.
At such a sight, the disciples were greatly afraid, and Peter, not knowing what he was saying, proposed to make three tabernacles: one for the Lord, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. As Peter spoke these words, a cloud overshadowed them, and the voice of the Father, who recognizes none but his blessed Son, proclaimed: "This is my beloved Son, hear ye him". When the vision and the voice were past, they saw only Jesus.
Thus, in fact, we find here two visions: that of the glorified Lord together with Moses and Elijah, and that of the Lord alone. The first is full of glory! And the second? May the Holy Spirit open our eyes to see the glory and beauty of the second vision: Jesus alone.
The first impression in the minds of the apostles, as they looked around, was one of silence, for that voice was no longer heard; it was one of loneliness, for Moses and Elijah had withdrawn. Now the unusual had passed, the impression in their minds was that everything around them was normal. The answer to that first impression they found in the presence of "Jesus alone", for although the voice from the cloud was no longer heard, the words of the Lord were heard. If Moses and Elijah passed away, He remained the perpetual Companion.
If the unusual was over, they began to perceive that they were now in the presence of One who could change the ordinary into the unusual; One who could go down with them into the valley and accompany them in the home life and in the service of the years to come, even to the end. He could touch the common things of life and make them shine with splendor, just as His body of humiliation shone with glory upon the mount of transfiguration. That was the first thing those men learned as they arose from their fear. The vision had passed. Moses and Elijah were gone. The voice was silent. "Jesus alone" was left. (G. Campbell Morgan).